| de la Puente, Noemi | Incorporation and Business Options for Actors |
| Gandrow, Kristen | Fidelity Plus Flair (Power Point Presentation) |
| Odegard, Julie | Actors Equity Association |
| Spencer, Rahni | Agents and Managers |
Introductory Comments (e-mail of Dec. 15, 1998; re-sent via postal Jan. 13, 1999)
Where
We've Been, Where We're At, Where We're Going (Jan. 25, 1999; including
assignments for Jan. 28 seminar session; e-mailed Jan. 25, 1999)
The textbook is available only in hard copy. It is: Biederman, Pierson, Silfen, Glasser, Berry and Sobel, Law and Business of the Entertainment Industries (3d ed. 1996).
Background Regarding Law, Legal System, Legal Analysis, Legal Resources:
Some of this was covered in lecture, discussion, and during the tour of the law library January 21, 1999. There is no record of those remarks aside from whatever notes you may have made.
"Introduction: The American Legal System," chapter I from Carter, Franklin and Wright, The First Amendment and the Fourth Estate (7th ed. 1997). This material was made available to you, but is also available only in hard copy.
The two additional pieces prepared by UI law professor Robert Clinton, to which reference was made, are available online, and therefore are simply indicated here by a link to his Web site: Robert N. Clinton, "Introduction to Reading & Briefing Cases and Outlining," and Robert N. Clinton, "Introduction to Court Structures & Procedures." These are both relatively brief (my print outs from the Web are 7 and 4 pages respectively). You will find them a very helpful supplement/expansion on the Carter, Franklin and Wright piece.
What should you be looking for/why are you reading these? Two things. (1) Most immediately, they will substantially ease the initial difficulty you will have in trying to make sense out of those of the assignments that involve the reading of judges' opinions. The three, together, should answer the bulk of the questions your initial reading assignments are bound to raise. They will explain what you should take notes about, and how, and why. (2) One of the purposes of this course is the "demystification" of "the law" for you. We can't make you lawyers, or even law students, with one seminar. You will still need to hire lawyers. But we do hope to make the law a little more understandable for you. These pieces will help. Indeed, Professor Clinton's have been written precisely for students encountering legal education for the first time.
You should also take a look at my piece, "So
You Want to be a Lawyer: A Play in Four Acts." No, I'm not a
playwright. This is nothing you'd want to produce or act in. It's just
my way of making a little more readable my suggestions for first year law
students. It will give you some additional insight into "the law" -- and
also the standards to which your instructor may be holding you as
well as the mythical first year law student in the play.